Every year companies search through resumes, looking to hire temporary workers in anticipation of the holiday shopping season that kicks off with Black Friday.

However some of the larger employers in Carlsbad face a unique challenge - finding people who need a job.

The unemployment rate in Eddy County is 4.1 percent, according to a New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions study for the month of October, and it makes for a tougher six weeks of the year for some.

Walmart, one of the largest companies in Carlsbad, deployed an armada of managers and sales associates starting Thursday in anticipation of its first holiday sale that began at 6 p.m.

And yet it wasn't enough.

"I could have used another 100 associates," said Robert Garcia, store manager at the local Walmart. "We're reaching out and trying to (do) whatever we can to try and get those new associates but I just don't think there's enough people out there. Everybody's already asking for help wanted and it looks like the whole town needs help."

The Black Friday sale came and passed without incident but the scene was described as "chaotic" by Marissa Rutherford, who arrived around 5:45 p.m. for the first sale. "I was actually very impressed with how many cashiers they had and if you had any questions there were people around to show you or tell you were you needed to go."

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The retail giant had more than 6,000 transactions on Thursday night. Smaller retailers, meanwhile, weren't as affected.

Across the city other retailers didn't experience any trouble hiring for seasonal positions.

"Of course it's not like Walmart where you get a deluge of people coming in that front door as soon as it opens," said Randall Ortega, store manager at Hastings. "We just put up our signs on the door and people started applying, it was pretty easy for us."

For Ortega, the hardest step came after the initial hire was made.

"You are hiring new people at the busiest part of the year," he said. "It's kind of stressful wondering how well they're going to do, but it's also good to have those extra people in the store to keep everything covered."

If holiday gifts were elusive, have no fear. Cyber Monday is around the bend.